Railway foot-guard.



w. R. K ILNER.

RAILWAY FOOT GUARD.

' APPLICATION FILED'MAY I. I9I6.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

rec.

WILLIAM R. KILNER, 0F GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY FOOT-GUARD.

Application filed May-1,1916. 7 Serial No. 94,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. KILNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at, Greenville, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway F Oct-Guards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railway foot guards and it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character adapted for use in connection with railway frogs, switches, or guard rails for effectively preventing the foot of a person being caught.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved guard including a depressible plate which is normally main tained substantially flush with the upper surface of the track structure with which it may be employed but which is capable of downward ,movement as the rolling stock passes thereover, but is sufficient to support the weight of a person.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved. guard whereby the permanently open spaces between rail members are protected by a self-adjusting plate. I

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved foot guard whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a view in top plan illustrating a guard constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and employed in connection with a guard rail; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view in top plan of the device as herein embodied with the adjustable plate and its guide stems removed; and Fig. 5 is a view in top plan of a guard constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of my invention and which is adapted for use in connection with a frog.

As disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, It denotes a rail having coacting therewith the guard rail G, each of said rails R and Gr being supported by the cross ties T.

1 denotes the base plate of my improved guard which is positioned between the rails R and G and rests upon the adjacent ties T and is adapted to be secured to said ties T through the medium of suitable anchoring means passed through the openings 2 produced in the opposite ends of the plate 1. The plate 1 snugly fits between .the rails R and G and adjacent its opposite ends is provided with the upstanding lugs 3 having their inner faces 4 straight and their outer faces 5 disposed on a predetermined upward and inward incline, as is thought to be clearly shown in the accompanying drawings.

6 denotes the depressible or adjustable plate included in my improved guard and which is normally maintained substantially flush with the upper surface of the rails through the medium of the expansible members 7 herein disclosed as springs encircled around the stems 8 depending from the plate 6 and freely passing through the guide openings 9 produced in the plate 1.

The upward movement of the plate 6 under the influence of the members 7 is controlled by the nuts or burs 10 threaded upon the lower extremities of the stems 8 andv contacting with the under surface of the plate 1, as is believed to be clearly disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. The opposite end portions of the plate 6 are downwardly and outwardly inclined, as at 11, with the upper or outer faces of said inclined portions 11 normally flush with the faces 5 of the lugs 3.

As disclosed particularly in Fig. 1, the lower or free ends ofthe extensions 11 are provided with the tongues or lips 12 preferably semi-circular in plan and which extend within the vertical guide grooves 14 produced in the vertical faces 4 of the lugs 3 in order to assure the vertical movement of the plate 6 in a fixed path, whereby no obstruction is ofiered by the rails to the depression of the plate 6 or to its return to normal or elevated position. I also find it of advantage to provide the central portion of the plate 1 with the elongated opening 15 through which is adapted to pass any foreign matter which may enter beneath the plate 6.

The form of invention illustrated in Fig. 5 is substantially identical to that disclosed in'the preceding figures, except that the plate 1 is substantially triangular in form and two independently adjustable plates 6 are employed, said plates 6 being of substantially the same construction and supported in the same manner as disclosed relative to the plate 6. For this reason the parts of Fig. 5 substantially the same as has been previously disclosed, are identified by corresponding reference characters.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a foot guard constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice.

I claim:

1. In combination with adjacent rails, a foot guard adapted to be interposed therebetween and consisting of a plate provided with securing means, the opposite end portion of the plate being provided with upstanding lugs having their inner faces vertical and their top faces inclined downwardly and outwardly, the vertical faces of the lugs being provided with guiding grooves, an adjustable plate provided at its ends with lips extending within the guiding grooves of the lugs, stems depending from the adustable plate and loosely directed through the first named plate, stops carried by the 'between and consisting of a plate provided with securing means, the opposite end portion of the plate being provided with upstanding lugs having their inner faces vertical and their top faces'inclined downwardly and outwardly, the Vertical faces of the lugs being provided with guiding grooves, an adjustable plate provided at its ends with lips extending within the guiding grooves of the lugs, stems depending from the adjustable plate and loosely directed through the first named plate,stops carried by the lower ends of the stems and contacting with the under face of the first named plate for limiting the upward movement of the adjustable plate, and expansib-le members interposed between the first named plate and the second named plate for normally holding the same at the limit of its upward movement, the central portion of the first named plate being provided with an opening.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM R. KILNER. Witnesses:

G120. H. RoWLnY, OLIVER O. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

